“It is with great pleasure that we welcome Jessica and Cian to Wilshire,
particularly as investor interest in alternatives increases. These
additions to our team are a direct reflection of the firm’s commitment
to enhancing our alternatives expertise,” said Jason Schwarz, President
of Wilshire Funds Management and Wilshire Analytics. “Jessica’s
multifaceted experience in the space will bolster the firm’s ability to
innovate across our full range of alternatives solutions, including risk
premia and hedge fund managed accounts. Further, Cian’s alternative
investment research and manager selection experience for institutional
and ultra high-net-worth clients deepens Wilshire’s alternatives
research capabilities.”

Nicosia brings to Wilshire 15 years of experience in the alternative
investment industry. Prior to joining Wilshire Associates, she held
roles with a focus on marketing quantitative hedge funds at R. G.
Niederhoffer Capital Management, Vegasoul and J. E. Moody & Company.

Desmond brings eight years of industry experience. Prior to joining
Wilshire Associates, he was the Director of Alternative Investment
Research at Shepherd Kaplan Krochuk, LLC in Boston with primary
responsibility for developing investment strategy, conducting
alternative investment research, and leading manager selection across
asset classes. Prior to relocating to Boston, he worked in the
alternative investment research group at Canterbury Consulting.

“I am thrilled to be joining Wilshire and its long history as a leading
provider of alternative investment solutions,” said Nicosia. “I look
forward to working alongside Jason and his team to further enhance the
firm’s already strong alternatives offering, and am excited about what
we can deliver to Wilshire’s clients.”

Added Desmond, “I am very excited to join Wilshire’s alternatives team
and am eager to bring a differentiated perspective to an already robust
investment research process.”

Nicosia will be based in New York and report to Schwarz, while Desmond
will be based in Santa Monica, reporting to Rob Noe, Head of Wilshire’s
Manager Research Group.

Wilshire Funds Management is Wilshire’s dedicated business unit
responsible for developing and delivering a broad range of multi-asset
and alternative investment solutions to financial intermediaries and
institutions globally. Wilshire Funds Management advises on over $184
billion in assets and manages over $50 billion on a discretionary basis
(as of June 30, 2018).

About Wilshire Associates

Wilshire Associates, a leading global financial services firm, provides
consulting services, analytics solutions and customized investment
solutions to plan sponsors, investment managers and financial
intermediaries. Its business units include, Wilshire Analytics, Wilshire
Consulting, Wilshire Funds Management and Wilshire Private Markets. The
firm was founded in 1972, providing revolutionary technology and acting
as an early innovator in the application of investment analytics and
research to investment managers in the institutional marketplace.
Wilshire also is credited with helping to develop the field of
quantitative investment analysis that uses mathematical tools to analyze
market risks. All other business units evolved from Wilshire’s strong
analytics foundation. Wilshire developed the Wilshire 5000 Total Market
Index and became an early innovator in creating integrated
asset/liability analysis/simulation models as well as practical models
in risk budgeting through beta and active risk analysis. Wilshire has
grown to a firm of approximately 265 employees serving the needs of
investors around the world. Based in Santa Monica, California, Wilshire
provides services to clients in more than 20 countries representing
approximately 500 organizations with assets totaling US $9 trillion
(Client assets are as represented by Pensions & Investments (P&I),
detailed in P&I’s “Largest Retirement Funds” and P&I’s “Largest Money
Managers (U.S. institutional tax-exempt assets)” as of 9/30/17 and
12/31/17, and published 2/5/18 and 5/28/18, respectively). With ten
offices worldwide, Wilshire Associates and its affiliates are dedicated
to providing clients with the highest quality products and services.
Wilshire® and Wilshire 5000® are registered service marks of Wilshire
Associates Incorporated. Wilshire 5000 Total Market Index℠ is a service
mark of Wilshire Associates Incorporated.